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Fear of the dentist is one of our most common fears. A recent study in the UK found that over 90 per cent of people admit to a fear of paying a visit to the dentist’s chair. For the most part, that fear is a mild and conquerable. This is known as dental anxiety. Most people are able to rationalise that fear against the necessity to have healthy teeth and will visit the dentist.
For others though, the fear is more severe and acts as a completely prohibitive factor in any visit to the dentist. This more serious fear is known as dental phobia and is not so easily overcome. Patients who suffer from dental phobia are likely to put their oral health behind their fears. This often results in dental problems, which in turn increase the need for them to see a dentist. This becomes a vicious circle that causes a great deal of anxiety and pain.
Dental phobia is caused by a number of factors, which are often similar for many people. One of the most common causes is a previous unpleasant experience at the dentists, possibly during childhood. A painful experience or particularly unfriendly dentist can cause a lifetime of anxiety and oral problems. Many other phobics talk of a fear due to lack of control or having instruments placed in their mouth. One of the other major causes of dental phobia is the transferred phobia, when a parent transfers their fear of the dentist to their child.
Today, there is no real reason for patients to fear the dentist. Dentistry has come along way since many patients’ childhoods. Technological advances have reduced the amount of pain involved in many procedures and the use of high intensity lasers has sped up recovery times.
There are also a number of things patients with dental phobia can do to help them relax. Using lavender oil before treatment has been shown to reduce anxiety and many surgeries offer hypno-therapy before treatment. Often it helps just to explain your fears to the dentist who will certainly be able to help. London dentists are experienced in dealing with anxious patients and will be able to help calm your anxieties. Whatever it takes, it is vital that you do not ignore your dental health and make an appointment. It could save years of further complications in the future.